I enjoyed this well-written historical novel; then again, Lisa Bergren has long been a favorite author of mine. I was drawn in from the beginning. If you enjoy historical fiction, check it out. ( )

England, the year 1773. Keturah and her sisters find themselves heiresses to their father's properties and assets. A letter soon comes telling them of the drought, machinery failure and an overseer lost to the "fever", all with profits far lower than the last.

Lady Keturah is determined to make sure her sisters are well provided for and the three sisters head off to the West Indies, which was totally unheard of for ladies of England's society at that time.

Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson, a widow, from an abusive marriage has sworn that she will never marry again, but her childhood friend Gray Covington is traveling to the West Indies to develop his sugar plantation that happens to border Keturah's. Will Keturah's heart ever soften again?
This was a fantastic story of a woman bound and determined to make a way for herself, as well as her sisters in a society that demanded women to be dependant on men. Keturah's strong character is what makes this story flow. The reader is drawn to her supporting her and cheering her on throughout the story. A fast-paced read, and a truly enjoyable one. Set in the West Indies. The author has done a vast amount of research to make this novel so real to life, which makes it all the more enjoyable and true to the reader.

I was thrilled that the characters all leaned heavily on God in this novel. I think the lesson of this novel, or the point that is brought out, is that we too must rely on God, put our stubbornness behind us. A wonderful story of adventure, romance, and forgiveness.


. I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )

Keturah is a historical fiction novel set in the 1770s. The Banning sisters find themselves in dire straits as they learn of the status of their father’s sugar plantation on Nevis, an island in the West Indies. Society at the time dictated that it was the man’s responsibility to provide for the family, but what happens when there are no men left to support them? Keturah has suffered abuse at the hands of her husband, both verbal and physical. The wounds left are deep. Ket has vowed to never trust a man again or to be put in a position where she must rely on one for assistance. And it’s from this newfound determination that she decides to set sail for Nevis in the hopes of saving the family plantation, thus ensuring financial stability for the future. What Ket and her sisters don’t realize is how very different life on Nevis is compared to England.

I know my friend will love this book. Brew some tea and enjoy this cup of strong female characters, great scenery, a dash romance and some justice on the side. Ket’s determination and persistence are what female readers are looking for in a novel. Sure, she falls in love, but she isn’t magically rescued from her struggles. In fact, she becomes partners with her lifelong friend. Despite his longing to save her or take care of her, Ket manages well on her own. This novel is filled will drama and suspense, with abuse, loss, and grief, with hope and success. It’s a book on survival, not only on the plantation but from past hurts. It’s a story of forgiveness and healing. I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion and I can’t wait to share this book with my friend. She’s going to love it. ( )

“Keturah” what an unusual name! This is the first thing that drew my attention to the book. The story is as unique as its name. Being the oldest of three girls, responsibility falls heavily on Keturah’s shoulders when they receive word their Father has died. Their mother has already passed on and their Dad was absent much of their lives making his fortune with a plantation on the island in the West Indies. Unfortunately the estate is not doing well and the girls could lose everything. Unable to provide for them Keturah makes the decision to leave their beloved home in England and try to restore the plantation. Also traveling there is her childhood friend Gary Covington with whom her friendship was severed due to his unscrupulous youth. He too hopes to salvage his family plantation and protect the girls.
At a young age she is already a widow and carries the emotional scars of an abusive husband. Not only has this led her vow to never marry but has also made her stubborn, headstrong woman, determined to do everything on her own.
Even for the wealthy sea travel was no piece of cake. I was fascinated by the author’s vivid description of a long sea voyage during that period. It was dangerous, miserable, boring and exhausting. Single women were certainly not safe traveling alone with the sailors and other men on the ship. I have no clue how they survived in the tight space they were given!
Getting there was only a small part of the battle. That era was a “man’s world” and the cruelty, rejection and prejudice against the women was more than I could have imagined. The abusiveness, with which the slaves were treated, broke my heart! Seemingly insurmountable obstacles, loneliness, exhausting work and painful secrets didn’t stop her. Her headstrongness served her well. I admired her strong faith in God and choosing to look at her blessings when all seemed to be falling apart. I learned a many new details about that era. A beautiful story!
I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I stated are my own. ( )

First things first, I am not a huge historical fiction fan, so I put this book at the bottom of my pile. I have not read any of the author's previous works, but I will pick up the next books in this series. I enjoyed the book to some degree although as you will see below there were some parts that left me disappointed.

The setting begins in England and then travels to the West Indies in 1772. Due to some unfortunate financial woes of their father, three sisters inherit his estates and have to make some tough decisions. They choose to go the unconventional route and travel to the West Indies via ship. Here lies my first disappointment - this is an almost unbelievable journey in the story. During that time period, what occurs on their travels to the West Indies is not historically accurate. So if you are one who likes historical fiction, I would say this book will be an annoying if not frustrating read. I already stated that historical fiction is not my type of book, so I kept reading it for the story and not the history or accuracy of the time period.

While I enjoyed the sisterly bond between the three sisters, some of their interactions left me rolling my eyes. I do believe the author was going for strong female characters, but in my opinion two of the sisters missed that mark. Maybe their strength will come out in future books in this series.

The main characters, Keturah and Gray, are both unlikable. I struggled to connect with them. Her interest in him was awkward and his interaction with her was the same. Their romantic connection fell flat. The book mentions some very heavy topics (rape, slavery, violence, etc.) although doesn't go into great detail. There is a enough that I do think it is worth mentioning and being aware of while reading.

I was most looking forward to the setting in the West Indies as I have not read many books that have used that location. This did not disappoint! I enjoyed the journey via ship and the West Indies.

All in all, this was not an easy read. I will read the other books in the series out of curiosity.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher (Bethany House). All opinions expressed are my own and I was not required to give a favorable one. ( )